stingray

American  

[sting-rey] / ˈstɪŋˌreɪ /

noun

1. any of the rays, especially of the family Dasyatidae, having a long, flexible tail armed near the base with a strong, serrated bony spine with which they can inflict painful wounds.

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stingray British  

/ ˈstɪŋˌreɪ /

noun

1. any ray of the family Dasyatidae, having a whiplike tail bearing a serrated venomous spine capable of inflicting painful weals on man

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Etymology

Origin of stingray

First recorded in 1605–15; sting + ray ²

Explanation

Stingrays are sea creatures that are closely related to sharks. If you're snorkeling in the Cayman Islands and see a large, flattened fish with a long tail and eyes on top of its body, you're looking at a stingray. Like their shark cousins, stingrays have cartilage instead of bones; stingrays look completely different from sharks, though. Stingrays' bodies are shaped like a rounded diamond, and their gills are on their underside. Their venomous tails are dangerous, giving them the sting part of their name—but most stingrays are shy and docile, and safe to swim near as long as you don't step on them.

Example Sentences

Steve Irwin died aged 44 after being stung by a stingray while filming on the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Queensland.

From BBC • Aug. 17, 2025

Avoid the next encounter with a stingray or jellyfish, and instead explore the depths of the news in this week’s Slate News Quiz.

From Slate • Feb. 21, 2025

The inside of a myliobatid stingray tail is remarkably complex, the scientists learned.

From Salon • Feb. 10, 2025

Not to mention, you could step on a stingray or a sea urchin.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 16, 2024

Not a stingray, not a manta ray, but an electric ray.

From "The Wild Robot Protects" by Peter Brown